What We Deserve

"You will get frustrated. You will fail. Most of all, you will grow to hate each other if you do this right." Standing at the top of the lecture hall, I watch as Dr. Mohammed Igwe speaks to his students of the day. His black eyes catch mine and it brings a warm feeling to the pit of my stomach. They're already gathering their things and getting ready to leave before he's even finished. "I want all of your hard work together logged and turned into me before Christmas break. You have one month to do the packet and...and they're gone."

Giggling as I walk down the steps, my heels clicking on the floor as I go, I approach the tall bald Nigerian man and wrap my arms around him smoothly.

"Torturing them once more?"

"Internal Medicine is more than just the boring stuff...this is...well...it presents them with clarity on how inter relationships work. Patient to Doctor. Patient to Lover. Doctor to..." I kiss him longingly and he inwardly sighs. "Doctor."

"I don't know why you waste your brilliance in a classroom. The floor could use it so much better." Rolling his eyes, he turns my body so my back is to his chest and he sways us from side to side.

"But in here, I mold minds."

"Yes...but it's not the best use for you."

"And fundraising is a better use of my time?"

"No...that's my job...and I'm great at it. It's the only thing keeping this hospital going." It's no joke that New Amsterdam is drowning.

Hardly any monetary help.

No one wants to come to New Amsterdam to be treated.

Staff is underpaid and unappreciated.

The list goes on.

I fundraise to keep us afloat.

"Yes, well...we should talk about things...staying afloat I mean." His words are full of tension and as I turn in his arms to look at him, I find he is very serious indeed.

"Wedding stuff?" We've only been engaged for nearly two years. Waiting for the right time...I suppose.

"Sort of."

"Well this doesn't sound good...not in the least." I cross my arms and he sighs heavily before sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Don't be that way. You complain when we don't talk- I want to talk so you should be happy."

"Not when you have the sort of tone to you."

"Helen...I love you..."

"But?"

"Huh...but there is someone else-No one you know. I didn't mean for it to happen- it just did."

"And? And what?"

"And she's pregnant." His words fill my chest with anguish and pressure.

Pregnant.

Some other woman.

We have been together for five years. He finally proposed.

And now he has some other woman up the stick and is leaving me?!

"Helen?"

"What? Should I congratulate you? On your infidelity? Or your bastard child?" Storming off, I march up the stairs and out across the checkered linoleum flooring of the hospital.

What an arsehole!

Fucking prick!

To do such an intimate thing in my place of work.